Real Valladolid 0 – 3 Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti’s team surged four points clear of Atletico Madrid.
Even in the absence of the suspended Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé stepped up brilliantly. With two superb finishes and a precise penalty, he bagged a hat-trick, helping Real Madrid cruise past Real Valladolid in La Liga.
Ancelotti’s side secured a comfortable 3-0 win away on Saturday night.
Real dominated possession, shots on goal, and overall control of the game. However, Valladolid made the most of their limited chances, forcing three excellent saves from the experienced Thibaut Courtois, who ensured his clean sheet.
Valladolid nearly struck early in the second minute when David Torres connected with Selim Amallah’s corner. Courtois, with a spectacular dive, denied the header.
In the 24th minute, Courtois saved Real again, stopping Mamadou Sylla’s bullet shot off a pass from Mario Martín.
Six minutes later, Real took the lead. Jude Bellingham found Mbappé, who fired a powerful shot across the goal into the net. This marked Mbappé’s 20th goal in 32 matches for Real across all competitions.
After taking the lead, Real kept pressing but failed to create significant chances before halftime.
In the 52nd minute, Ivan Sanchez’s shot tested Courtois again, but he remained unbeatable.
Five minutes later, Mbappé doubled the lead. During a counterattack, Rodrygo dashed into the box with remarkable speed. Instead of taking the shot himself, he unselfishly passed to Mbappé on his left, who slotted it home with another clinical finish. This marked his seventh goal in Real’s last five matches.
Mbappé missed a chance to complete his hat-trick in the 67th minute. After a quick one-two with Bellingham, he broke through Valladolid’s defense but couldn’t direct his shot on target from a tight angle.
In injury time, Mbappé sealed his hat-trick with a penalty after Bellingham was fouled by Mario Martín in the box. The referee awarded the penalty after consulting VAR and issued Martín a second yellow card, leaving Valladolid with 10 men for the final minutes.
With 15 wins and four draws from 21 matches, Real Madrid tops La Liga with 49 points. Atletico Madrid sits second with 45 points from the same number of games.
Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao follow with 39 points each, with Hansi Flick’s Bilbao ahead on goal difference, securing third place.
